When you appear before opposing counsel and the judge or general magistrate, you should be composed, calm and competent to complete your virtual court proceeding successfully. The day of your online Zoom hearing is NOT the day to fumble with a device and with Zoom.

The virtual Zoom court is still as formal as a physical courtroom.

You must prepare at least a few days before your hearing so that you can obtain any technology devices that you need (e.g., a better microphone) and so that you become familiar with Zoom specifics, such as turning on your video and naming yourself appropriately.

Zoom gives court officers more opportunity to evaluate your work or living space and your overall character with greater scrutiny. Zoom offers what no physical courtroom can: a window into your home, work and life through the “all-seeing eye” of your device’s camera, which never leaves your face.

This blog post is Part Five of the DADvocacy™ Law Firm’s series on winning your Zoom divorce hearing: what to practice with a friend.

Take time from your schedule to learn Zoom properly. Grab a friend for practicing Zoom, and do so more than once. The friend should have a separate device and a separate internet connection in a location where you cannot hear your friend in real time. Then consider the issues in the checklist below with your friend’s feedback:

1. Ask your Zoom practice buddy to evaluate your lighting. Do you look like you’re telling scary campfire stories? You want to appear as friendly, likeable and competent as possible. The judge or general magistrate needs to see your eyes and expressions clearly. Set your light source behind or near your camera so that it falls on your face without too much glare.
2. Test your microphone. Ask your practice friend to evaluate the quality of your sound, whether you sound clear consistently, if your Internet connection is blinking in and out, and whether your voice is competing with the ceiling fan/heater/traffic/hum of the lights, etc. See if you’re sitting too close to your microphone. If your microphone is not sensitive in picking up your voice or in sending a clear broadcast, now is the time to invest in a new one.
3. See if you can hear your practice buddy clearly. You might need earphones/buds for your virtual Zoom courtroom if your device’s speakers cannot broadcast sound adequately. You can’t afford to miss anything that your opposition or the judge says.
4. Practice muting your Zoom microphone. If you have a coughing fit, or if you and your attorney need to have a private conference, you will need to ensure silence from your microphone.
5. The same applies for turning your video off and on, for the same reasons.

The DADvocacy™ Law Firm reminds you that ADA accommodations are available for virtual court proceedings. Please ask your attorney and/or your jurisdiction for details in advance of your hearing date so that accommodations can be properly made.

Enhance your Zoom skill set through visiting the rest of our series:

• Part One on evaluating your environment for distractions,
• Part Two on preparing your technology,
• Part Three on your personal presentation and decorum, and
• Part Four for tips to avoid derailing your hearing.

If you believe that a dedicated fathers’ law firm is the right one for you, please talk with us.

Warning: All posts on this website contain general information about legal matters for broad educational purposes only. The information is not legal advice, and should not be treated as such. This blog post does not create any attorney-client relationship between the reader and the DADvocacy™ Law Firm.